Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Voices from the Past: Earl Osten, Tournament Caster (1950)

The following blurb was published in the July 1950 Sporting Goods Dealer. It deals with a guy I've been researching a lot of late, Earl Osten. Osten was a major figure at NARMCO, where the tubular glass rod was developed, before leaving for St. Croix, where he would eventually take over their Flambeau Products division. He was a great tournament caster, as the article clearly shows.

Earl Osten, vice-president and sales manager of Narmco, Inc., manufacturer of Conolon Live Fiber rods and accessories, 600 Victoria street, Costa Mesa, Calif., has set a new world's record for salmon fly distance casting.

His record cast of 210 feet captured first honors in the nineteenth annual Western Association of Casting Clubs tournament, staged June 3-4 at Pasadena. Calif.

Osten also took first place in the %-ounce distance bait event with an average of 302Y2 feet and a long cast of 306 feet, first in all- round distance casting with 3,095 feet and first in wet fly accuracy with a perfect score of 100 points.

The Narmco executive also holds the all-accuracy world record with a score of 389, the all-distance mark with 3,145 feet and the 5/8-ounce distance bait average world record with an aggregate of 409 2-3 feet.

Roscoe Reamer, also of Narmco, led the field in the tournament's 5/8-ounce accuracy bait event.

About Me

My name is Dr. Todd Larson, and I am a college history professor who writes on the history of fishing in America. I started this blog to help people better understand their outdoor heritage. I am originally from Duluth, Minnesota and live in Southwestern Ohio with my wife, daughter, three fish, two cats, and a dog.